Nicolette von Wiese
Nicolette von Wiese is a South African mixed-media artist whose practice explores the relationship between materials, memory, and the passage of time. Working with paper, cloth, thread, and other found or deliberately sourced materials, she approaches her creative process as an ongoing dialogue with the objects and textures she encounters. Her work embraces the unexpected, allowing materials to guide the direction of each piece while celebrating irregularities, imperfections, and the beauty of the unfinished.
Von Wiese's artistic process is tactile, slow, rhythmic, and repetitive, reflecting a considered approach to making that values patience and attention. Through stitching, layering, and the careful manipulation of materials, she creates works that reveal the traces of her hands and the time invested in their creation. Rather than concealing imperfections, she allows them to remain visible, recognising their contribution to the character and meaning of each work.
A significant aspect of her practice is its connection to her matrilineal lineage. Through the act of stitching, von Wiese pays homage to the women who came before her, exploring how knowledge, skills, memories, and traditions are carried across generations. Her work becomes a means of connecting past and present, bringing personal histories into conversation with contemporary artistic expression. Through her thoughtful engagement with material and process, von Wiese creates tactile works that invite reflection on heritage, continuity, and the quiet significance of handmade objects.
Nicolette von Wiese is a South African mixed-media artist whose practice explores the relationship between materials, memory, and the passage of time. Working with paper, cloth, thread, and other found or deliberately sourced materials, she approaches her creative process as an ongoing dialogue with the objects and textures she encounters. Her work embraces the unexpected, allowing materials to guide the direction of each piece while celebrating irregularities, imperfections, and the beauty of the unfinished.
Von Wiese's artistic process is tactile, slow, rhythmic, and repetitive, reflecting a considered approach to making that values patience and attention. Through stitching, layering, and the careful manipulation of materials, she creates works that reveal the traces of her hands and the time invested in their creation. Rather than concealing imperfections, she allows them to remain visible, recognising their contribution to the character and meaning of each work.
A significant aspect of her practice is its connection to her matrilineal lineage. Through the act of stitching, von Wiese pays homage to the women who came before her, exploring how knowledge, skills, memories, and traditions are carried across generations. Her work becomes a means of connecting past and present, bringing personal histories into conversation with contemporary artistic expression. Through her thoughtful engagement with material and process, von Wiese creates tactile works that invite reflection on heritage, continuity, and the quiet significance of handmade objects.
